


The Cards Are Dealt

by Savage Enchantress Aurelia (khi)



Category: Savage Garden
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - High School, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2001-08-28
Updated: 2001-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-01 17:38:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11491332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khi/pseuds/Savage%20Enchantress%20Aurelia
Summary: High school - alternate reality.  Darren's life has never been easy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My original disclaimer read as follows: "I don't own Darren or Daniel; they own themselves. I do not know their sexual preference. This story is purely fiction." It has been over a decade, and the internet has grown since then. Celebrities are active online, and they are human, and they can be hurt. But while I was growing up, the Savage Garden slash fandom was an active, wonderful community. I do not want that history to be lost. Therefore, this story is here, but it is also locked--limited to those who have an account with AO3.
> 
> Please understand that no disrespect is intended toward either Darren Hayes or Daniel Jones or any members of their respective families. Darren and Daniel are wonderful human beings, and I wish for both of them every good thing that life has to offer. How they are depicted in this story is not how I view them in real life now, nor is it how I viewed them in real life back then. I feel I should also explicitly state that _Darren loves his mother_ , because the story below was jarring for me to read 16 years later due to characterization indicating otherwise. This is a work of fiction.
> 
> This story was written sometime before August 28, 2001. It has been slightly edited to remove an unnecessary, graphic description of trauma.
> 
> The original dedication read: "To life, the fucking bitch, for being so ironic and painful."

The dark-haired boy chewed on his bottom lip nervously as his hands fumbled to unlock the door of his parents' house. He dared a glance up at Daniel, and saw the musician shoot him a concerned look, but he shrugged it off. A chill wind swept around them as he finally won the day's battle with his front door, and he led his friend inside.

He watched Daniel's eyes trail over everything in the living room, wishing for the millionth time in his life that his family was rich. Daniel was used to luxury, Darren was sure, having seen his large house on a few occasions. Only the outside, though. He had yet to go inside Dan's home.

Similarly, Daniel had not visited Darren's house until today. The two had met at a party about two weeks ago, and over the past few days they had quickly become friends. Truthfully, Darren wasn't sure how long that friendship would last after Daniel learned more about him...

"It's nice, Daz," Daniel said, but the singer himself knew that it was a lie. There wasn't anything nice about where he lived, hence him hardly ever being there.

"Thanks," he mumbled anyway, cheeks flaming red with the shame of having no wealth or finery, only proving to embarrass him further because he had a naturally pale complexion and when he blushed it was quite apparent. Darren ran his fingers through his dyed jet-black locks, which were at the present tinged with blue as well.

"So, do I get the grand tour, mate?" Daniel asked, giving off the grin that made him so popular amongst everyone.

"Yeah," Darren said. "Uh, this is my living room. And the kitchen is over there, and the restroom is beyond it," he said, pointing to the place of which he spoke. "And, uh, the bedrooms are upstairs. Two of them. My mum and dad's, and mine."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "So, do we get to go up and see you bedroom?" he asked, as Darren shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. Darren rolled his eyes and led the way upstairs, but when his hand was on his door, he hesitated.

"Daz," Daniel said, leaning his back up against the wall. "What are you so nervous about today? This is so not you, man. Come on. It's just me." He placed his hand over Darren's and turned the door knob.

As was ritual, Darren scowled as he eyed his room critically, but Daniel stepped past him and went inside.

"It's cool," he said, turning to face Darren again, but a noise outside caught the singer's attention. He raced past Daniel's confused form to jump onto his bed and look out the window that faced the front yard.

Car doors slammed, and then there were voices. Loud voices. Angry voices.

His head fell into his hands and he muttered a few curses.

"Dar? What's wrong?"

The front door opened and the voices grew louder.

"My parents," Darren answered, resting his back on the wall which his bed sat against. The familiar sound of clashing husband and wife filled their ears, and Darren met Dan's eyes, praying that he didn't look as distraught as he was. "You should probably go," he said, rising up off the bed.

"Why?" Daniel asked, perplexed, and his hands went into his pockets as he looked at Darren worriedly.

"'Cause I really don't want to deal with this right now." Darren could hear his parents in the kitchen, and started down the stairs with Daniel right behind him. They got to the front door, and Darren opened it, guiding his friend out none too subtly.

"Uhm, thanks for showing me your house," Daniel said.

"Yeah, no problem. See you tomorrow," Darren replied, attempting a smile that he was sure looked pathetic. Daniel gave him one last look, waved a bit, and then walked down the stairs and onto the sidewalk below.

Darren jumped as a dish shattered on the kitchen linoleum, and quickly shut the door.

 

* * *

 

Outside the Hayes residence, the sky was overcast and gray as Daniel trudged down the sidewalk. After he was a block away, he stopped and shivered, realizing he forgot his coat. He sighed heavily and turned around, shoes scraping against the concrete.

As he stood on Darren's doorstep again, he could hear screaming from inside the house. Should he disturb them? Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea...

Daniel spied the window a few inches away from the door and saw that the curtains inside had not been entirely closed. He leaned over the black iron railing that ran up both sides of the stairs and peered inside.

Darren was standing in the middle of the living room, his back towards Daniel. The musician decided that his quarreling parents must still be in the kitchen, because it seemed that Darren's gaze was focused in that direction.

Through the thin wall, Daniel could hear a thunderous crash and a woman's scream, followed by Darren's sobs as he turned from the scene and ran up the stairs, out of sight.

Holding his breath, Daniel listened carefully. After a moment he could hear a woman crying, and then a man begin to yell again. His hand found the doorknob of its own volition, and he stepped inside. A few seconds later he realized that he'd passed the coat closet and was currently making his way up the stairs.

Bugger the coat. He needed to talk to Daz.

The bedroom door was open just a crack, and as he slowly pushed it further, he saw Darren laying on his bed on his stomach, face buried in the pillows. Daniel's heart clenched as he heard the muffled bawling coming from his usually angelic singer.

Treading softly on the worn carpet for no reason at all, Daniel moved until he stood next to the bed.

"Daz?" he whispered, and the black and blue haired one jumped a bit in surprise. His head shot up and Daniel saw that his tears had smeared his eyeliner, leaving thin trails of black on his pale cheeks. He watched as Darren tried to regain his composure, and once he did, the singer spoke.

"Danny, I thought you left," he said in a low voice, hoarse from his crying. He wiped his face on the sleeve of his wrinkled, button-down, dark blue shirt.

"Forgot my jacket," Daniel said with a small smile which quickly faded. "Are you all right, Daz?"

"No." It was an instant response, followed by bitter laughter and a shaky statement. "I should be used to it by now, but they..." He shook his head, tears filling his eyes and slipping down his cheeks once more.

Daniel reached a hand out and gently wiped the tears away as he sat down on the bed next to Darren. The singer sniffed and sat up, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them as Daniel sat before him. Darren looked so young there, so innocent, as the profane language drifted up from downstairs.

"Would you like to come to my house?" Daniel asked finally, and Darren's eyes left his to gaze down at his black bedspread.

"I wouldn't want to put your parents out, Dan," he mumbled. "It would be unfair to them since we've made no plans for me to visit." Daniel looked at him as if he'd just sprouted another head.

"Dazzy, it's no big deal!" he said, smiling affectionately at his friend. "My parents will be thrilled to meet you, you needn't worry. Believe me, you're always welcome in my house." Suddenly Daniel felt Darren arms wrap around him in a fierce hug. "Hey, hey, Dazza," he crooned softly, hearing the older boy sob into his shoulder, the smooth skin of the singer's cheek brushing across Daniel's neck. "Shh," he said softly, hands stroking his back comfortingly, massaging in small circles.

Feet pounded up the stairs, and the two jumped out of their embrace, petrified. But then the door of the other bedroom slammed shut, and downstairs the front door slammed as well. There were feminine cries coming from the other room, and Daniel figured that it had been Darren's father to leave the house.

"He'll be back," Darren whispered, reading Daniel's thoughts. "Let's go to your place."


	2. Chapter 2

As Darren had predicted earlier, the Jones house was the polar opposite of his own. The moment he stepped in the door, a thousand feelings and emotions surrounded him. Warmth consumed his body, driving away the chill of the outside world, but that wasn't what it was. The house itself was full of these good vibes...love, happiness, contentment. He could hear laughter coming from somewhere, a tinkling sound that, combined with his initial reaction of the house, made it clear that this was what the dictionary definition of 'home' should be.

As Daniel showed him where to put his coat and shoes, the musician called out, voice ringing in the large hall. "Mum! Dad! We have a visitor!"

Darren looked up as he heard a pair of shoes clicking on the marble -- yes, fucking marble! -- floor, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. Daniel's parents were wealthy, and here he was in their front hall, wearing a rumpled shirt and jeans with holes in the knees, about to greet these people with an earring in one ear and spiked hair dyed black and blue. This was going to be a disaster.

Then he was presented with the sight of a very pleasant woman wearing a white, floral patterned dress with black sweater over the top. At that moment, Darren knew where Daniel's killer smile had come from. Perhaps disaster was too harsh a word...

"You must be Darren!" she said, and such warmth was apparent in her eyes when she spoke that Darren thought he would surely melt. He was about to hold out his hand in greeting, but she swept him into her arms, embracing him gently as if she had done so every day of her life. And instead of feeling awkward, it felt right.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jones," he said when she released him, and she shook her head.

"Oh, just call me Chris!" she laughed. "I feel as if I've known you forever, with as much as Daniel has told me."

Darren blushed and looked over at Daniel. The guitarist just smiled at him in an infuriatingly adorable way, and Darren thankfully tore his eyes from him at the sound of a voice being cleared. A man stood beside Chris now, his expression mirroring that of the other two Jones's in the room. The love in the air was quite palpable.

"Mr. Jones," Darren said with a nod, and clasped hands with Daniel's father.

"John," the older man said. Darren noticed that he was wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt. "It's nice to finally meet you, Darren."

"Thank you," Darren responded, smiling with genuine happiness.

"Well," Daniel said, looking from Darren to his parents, "Daz and I are going to be heading upstairs now. Show him my pride and joy and all." He walked over to his mother and gave her a peck on the cheek. "He'll be staying for dinner," he added, and ran to the stairs, ignoring Darren's "huh?" of surprise. "Come on, Dazza!"

The singer looked at Chris apologetically. "It's really not necessary that I --"

"No, it's quite all right!" she said. "Stay for supper. We'd enjoy your company!"

"Thank you. It was lovely meeting you," Darren said, and after receiving a nod of acknowledgment from both adults, he scaled the stairs in search of Daniel.

 

* * *

 

Soft music flowed in the room, produced by Daniel's nimble fingers on the piano, picking out the notes and chords of his most recent song. His eyes were closed as his fingertips brushed across the smooth white keys.

He heard a slight rustle and knew Darren stood in the doorway, but he did not open his eyes. He merely continued to play, and it wasn't until the last notes lingered in the air that he opened his eyes to find Darren staring at him, an expression of the utmost admiration on his face. Daniel couldn't help but smile, wishing with all his heart that he could freeze that moment in time and live in it forever.

"That was beautiful," Darren said. "Did you write it?"

"Yes," Daniel replied, beckoning for Darren to sit next to him on the piano bench.

"It was amazing," Darren complimented again, doing as Daniel asked and taking a seat. "Putting me with an instrument has always been certain death."

"Ah, but what is better? The angel's voice or the angel's harp?" asked Daniel, and saw Darren blush and look down at his lap. There was silence as Daniel watched Darren, smiling fondly, and then the singer spoke.

"Uh, your parents are really nice," Darren winced a bit. "I mean, they're incredible...I can't honestly say that I was expecting them to...to..."

"To what?" Daniel asked, curious and a bit troubled that Darren looked so uncomfortable. What had Darren thought his parents were like? Stuck up and snobbish, or what?

"To like me," Darren answered finally, bowing his head to avoid Daniel's eyes.

The blond blinked, stunned. "You didn't think they'd like you?" he asked. "They adore you! Why were you under the impression they wouldn't like you?"

"B - because," Darren stammered, clearly embarrassed. "I'm...well, I'm..." He threw his arms out and gestured to his clothes. "I'm me, Dan. My family's poor, I look like a punk for Christ's sake, and my parents --" Darren faltered for a moment, and then finished in a defeated, tired tone, "My parents are horrible." He looked up into Daniel's eyes briefly, and then confided in a quiet voice, "Abusive."

If there was a time in all of his life that the world stopped turning, it was at that moment of Darren's confession. Horror and disbelief crept into Daniel's eyes and he couldn't seem to form any words to speak.

"I shouldn't have told you that," Darren said after a minute had gone by, and Daniel shifted his position a bit and found that tears were slipping down Darren's cheeks again. The singer looked as if he were about to stand, but before he could, Daniel tugged on his arm so that Darren was facing him and enveloped him in a hug.

This time there were no sobs wracking Darren's body as Daniel hugged him. It was only a reassurance from the musician, expressing in actions what he couldn't seem to say with words. They let each other go and caught one another's eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Daniel whispered. Darren's sapphire pools were shining with uncertainty for a single second before he took Daniel's proffered hand, and they rose to their feet to find someplace where they could talk privately.


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel sat cross legged on the carpet of his bedroom, eyes burning into Darren's own as he leaned his back against the side of the blonde's bed. His host was being patient, waiting for Darren to begin without pestering him with a word of prompt. Darren took a deep breath, not knowing why he was about to divulge his secrets to a boy he'd known only a few weeks. He looked down at the floor as he began his story, unable to meet the eyes of his listener.

"My father is a very violent man. I think he got it from my grandfather, because he used to abuse his wife as well. I can remember staying at their house when I was little and it was no better than my home now. There was screaming where there should have been laughter. Hitting where there should have been holding. I don't know of a time when it wasn't like this. Every day my parents come home, yell at one another, put space between them, come home, and yell again." He smiled bitterly. "We've hardly any dishes left at all. They seem to particularly enjoy having it out in the kitchen.

"I can't say that I like either of them. I know it sounds horrid, but I really don't. Neither of them give me a thought. We don't eat dinner together. I'm never home, and they seem to like it that way." Darren hesitated, knowing he shouldn't be telling Daniel, but it felt so good to tell his secrets to someone else. He continued in a very low voice, and he saw Daniel scoot a bit closer and strain to hear.

"When I was younger, when I couldn't fight back...my father beat me. At school, nobody noticed because I used to always wear long-sleeved shirts and jeans, even on the hottest day of the year. When he bruised my face, he told me to tell everyone it was from bumping into a piece of furniture, or a foul ball in sports. In junior high, when I was a bit older, I hid it with makeup. I'd already used every excuse in the book. But then..." Darren bit on the inside of his cheek. He shouldn't be telling Daniel this. Anything could happen afterwards. What would Daniel's reaction be? He glanced up into the blonde's eyes, seeing the concern, the sympathy.

"I broke a window of the house one time, in seventh grade. When he got home, I tried to tell him it was an accident, and that I didn't mean to, but he wouldn't listen. He beat me until I couldn't walk, that time. And then he...he threw me onto his bed upstairs. Tore off my clothes..." He swallowed hard, and found he couldn't say the rest.

"He, uhm...he did that five other times when he didn't feel like accepting my apologies. Each time he told me to keep my mouth shut and tell no one. Like a fool, I did. But then the high school years came, when I grew taller and stronger than he was. After that, it was customary for me to never be home, therefore he had no reason to want to beat me, not that I think he'd have tried. So the anger once focused on me is now channeled to my mother, who already had it hard from him anyway. Not that I care, really. The bitch hasn't spoken to me in at least three years." Darren's gaze found Daniel's again, and the singer saw tears in the blond one's eyes. "So that's the story of my family," Darren said unnecessarily, and Daniel moved to sit next to him. The guitarist's arm snaked around Darren's shoulders and pulled him to him, running his slender fingers through Darren's raven and blue locks and holding him tightly.

"God, Darren, I'm so sorry," Daniel whispered. "I can't believe he did that to you. I'm so sorry..."

Darren relaxed in the embrace, nuzzling his head against Daniel's shoulder.

"How could anyone think of doing that to you? God, Darren, how? I don't understand! Why would anyone hurt you? Oh, Dazza..." The musician was crying whole-heartedly now, and Darren began to feel that he was the one comforting Daniel, instead of the other way around. He smiled and spoke softly to the boy in his arms.

"Danny, it's all right. I'm fine now. Don't cry over it, love. Shhh. Shhh." As Daniel's tears calmed, Darren pulled away and looked into the glistening green eyes. As they gazed at each other, Daniel shook his head.

"That should never have happened to someone like you, Daz. You deserve better."

Darren smiled a little and looked at the floor. "There's nothing special about me, Dan. I deserve what I get..." Suddenly Daniel's arm sprang out and forced his chin up so they were looking at one another again.

"How the hell do you figure that?" Daniel asked incredulously, eyes alight with disbelief. "Darren, you're the most amazing person I've met in my life. You're smart, and funny, and outgoing, but sometimes so shy. You're loud and obnoxious, yet at the same time you're kind and thoughtful. You're sweet and charming and pure, but dangerously intoxicating and addictive. Christ, you're everything! You're perfect, Daz. And you deserve a good family. You deserve love."

Silence for a few seconds as Daniel's fingers left Darren's chin, but the eye contact did not waver. Darren's tongue darted out to wet his lips, knowing that he was about to make either the best decision of his life, or a total fool of himself. But he could never live with himself if he didn't take the chance...

"Then love me," he whispered, eyes pleading with Daniel's to give him the only thing in the world he desired. The blond blinked quickly a couple of times, and for a split second Darren thought he would say no.

But then Daniel kissed him.


	4. Chapter 4

Daniel's arms wrapped around Darren's form as their lips met and tongues danced together. Never had he dreamed that this day would come. But he'd only known Darren for a week...how was it possible to feel that way?

Oh, but it felt so right. It was home to him, as if he'd known every contour of Darren's face since the day he was born. And Darren had to feel the same way about him...that meant something, right? It felt like his destiny, to be in Darren's arms, to hold the singer against him and never let him go.

Darren leisurely let the kiss come to an end, pulling away slightly to look into Daniel's eyes.

"I love you," he said, voice barely above a whisper, but the blond heard it clearly, and knew at that moment that this was where he belonged.

"I love you, too, Darren," Daniel said, the complete honesty of the statement scaring him a little. Though he'd only known him a few weeks, he was in love with Darren. Undoubtedly and undeniably.

"Well, I'm glad that works out, then," Darren said, a soft smirk playing on his features. His hand came up to rest on Daniel's cheek, stroking the tanned skin with velvety fingertips. The musician leaned into the touch, and their lips met again.

The sound of feet falling on the stairs caused both of them to jump apart. He gasped for breath and glanced over at Darren, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Doubts began to crawl into his mind, but he brushed them aside. After a few moments of flustered attempts at looking casual, they both realized the footsteps had passed by the room and down the hallway.

Daniel looked over at the singer, who was nervously picking up knickknacks off the shelves and then putting them back down.

"D - Darren?" Oh, that was smooth. Stutter, why don't you? "Darren?" he tried again. He kept his voice low, knowing that what they said could possibly be heard by whoever was upstairs. "Did...did you mean what you just said to me?"

The singer turned around and met his eyes. "Yes," Darren said, taking a few steps to sit on the edge of the bed tentatively. His voice was barely above a whisper as well. "Yes, I meant what I said to you, Daniel. It's just that..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"You don't want anyone else to know," Daniel finished for him. It wasn't a question, he could see the fear in Darren's eyes.

"It's not that," Darren protested, but then he sighed heavily. "It's...I don't know. I just met your parents, and they're... I don't... They'd be..."

"You think they'd be angry? That they'd throw you out or something?" Daniel asked, and Darren nodded meekly. The musician pondered this for awhile, unsure of whether or not Darren had reason to be afraid. His parents had always been opened minded...but now that he thought about it, he was getting a little uneasy as well.

"I don't want them to get the wrong impression of me, is all," Darren said. "It would be nice if they could get to know me, before they find out..." He studied Daniel's face for a moment, then continued, "Unless...you want to tell them now?"

"No!" Daniel said, a bit more force behind his words than he meant to inflict. "We can wait. You're right, it would be better if they knew you first, because then they'd love you beyond all reason and couldn't possibly object to us..."

"Alright, then...it's settled. No telling the parents," Darren said. "But...what about in public?"

Daniel thought about that...how would other people react? He looked over into Darren's brilliant sapphire eyes, and then mentally shrugged. Who cared? Half of them were strangers, and if his friends had any problems with it, then they obviously weren't friends, right?

"I - I don't care. It's okay with me, if it's okay with you," he said, and Darren nodded in agreement.

"As long as we're discreet around people we don't trust. You know, like people who could tell our parents."

Daniel suddenly grinned. It felt so weird, like they were plotting some devious scheme or something. His singer gave him a quizzical look.

"What are you grinning about, Mister?" Darren asked, a grin breaking over his face as well.

"You. Me. This whole thing." Daniel chuckled a bit, sitting himself next to Darren. There were footsteps in the hall again.

"What are you guys doing in there?" Chris asked as she passed by.

"Looking at porn magazines, Mum!" Daniel shouted playfully. He was rewarded with laughter from the other side of the door, and then the footsteps retreated.

"Gay porn, yeah?" Darren asked wickedly. "Ohhh, God....uhhh oohhh! Mmm...harder!" He started making unmentionable sexual noises, rather loudly as well, and Daniel tried to clamp a hand over his mouth, but was evaded. He grabbed the nearest weapon -- a pillow -- and smacked Darren over the head with it.

"Stop it," Daniel laughed, giving him an extra tap on the head for good measure.

Darren giggled, and grabbed the pillow from him, tossing it back onto the bed. "Oh, alright. Can I see your pride and joy then?"

At first, Daniel was shocked, and then finally he realized what Darren was referring to.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, the guitar, right. Uh, this way." He jumped off the bed to lead Darren into the music room. Behind him, Darren smirked.

"What did you think I was talking about, Jonesy?" When he got no response, he laughed. "You gotta get your mind out of the gutter, Dan."

 

* * *

 

TO BE CONTINUED...

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this work has been abandoned and will never be completed.


End file.
